Christmas Demons
by babeycakes09
Summary: It's Christmas time at the Ranger School and Ben and Summer are nearly the only ones still there. Old demons come to haunt Summer and a dark secret about Ben is revealed. Will this be a Christmas to remember?


**Okay everyone, this is just a little one shot of Christmas at the Ranger Union. This story doesn't have anything to do with my other stories, so they aren't connected. Hopefully, ya'll enjoy!**

"Summer! Come on, I didn't mean it!" I yelled, chasing her down the stairs. I stopped halfway, knowing she wouldn't listen to reason. Snow lay like a white blanket over the ground. It's freezing out here. I looked at Summer's disappearing form. She isn't even wearing a jacket. "You're going to catch a cold!" I yelled to her. I could just barely see her stick her middle finger up at me.

Kate and Keith laughed behind me. They sat on a bench next to the door, reading a book under a blanket. Kate was leaning on Keith's shoulder. What love birds. "What did you do now, Ben?" Kate smirked.

I threw my head back. "I didn't mean it! We were arguing and she said something along the lines of seeing things her way." Kate gave me a blank stare, beckoning me to continue. "So I kinda told her I couldn't shove my head that far up my ass." I said unsure. Kate smacked her hand to her forehead. Keith burst into laughter.

"You are a complete idiot. You know you can't say that kinda stuff to Summer. I'm surprised she didn't hurt you." Keith laughed. I sighed, lifting up my shirt. There was a bruise starting to form on the left side of my stomach. Keith laughed even harder. I noticed the suitcases next to the bench.

"Where are you two headed?" I asked, leaning my back against the railing. Snow began to fall pretty heavily. A cold shiver ran down my body. "I'm real worried about Summer." I whispered to myself, looking over my shoulder.

Kate's cheeks turned red slightly. "Well, since my family is in Sinnoh, Keith offered for me to go to his house and celebrate Christmas there." She blushed. Keith grinned at me. He totally thinks he is going to get lucky. Ha, Kate'll never let that happen.

"Wait, that means Summer and I are going to be practically the only ones here! You guys have to stay! I'm begging you two!" I got on my knees. "Summer pretty much hates me right now. Do you know how awkward things will be?"

Kate and Keith laughed. "You both can work on your relationship. And get a little alone time" Keith winked.

I shushed him. "Keith you're the only one who knows I like her! Shut up." I didn't just say that out loud..

"You like Summer!? I knew it!" She turned to Keith. "Why didn't you tell me, stupid!" She bopped him in the head. Keith shrugged his shoulders. I could hear a horn honking in the parking lot.

"Well, that's us." Keith got up, wrapping the blanket fully around Kate. He picked up both their suitcases. "See ya, Ben. Good luck with Summer." He joked. I sighed, waving goodbye to the both of them.

I really should go look for her. It's getting darker and the snow is falling even harder. She probably is over at the little lake. I'm the only one she's shown it to. We were arguing this one time, I don't really remember what about, and I ended up following her to this big rock that looked off into the lake. It really is beautiful and that's where she goes when she is upset. There is no doubt she is upset.

* * *

**Summer's P.O.V.**

What a jerk. He makes me so angry sometimes! All we do is argue. But it is those little moments that keep me coming back for more. He makes sure to tell me when I'm being a selfish bitch and I tell him when he is being a dick. But I like that about him. He isn't afraid to tell me the truth. That's the exact kind of person I need. I know I can always count on him. And then there are times when I wanna rip his tongue out so he can't talk. But that is all part of being his best friend. I guess I don't mind.

I finally made it to my special place. The snow had picked up greatly, falling to the ground in heavy waves. The sky got darker but I can still see around. After wiping away the snow. I sat down on the rock that overlooked the lake, which was frozen over. Pokemon danced and slid on the ice. It was a rare sight. No one other than Ben knows about this place.

Maybe I should go back. He must be worried. I'm not mad at him anymore. He was right. My head is too far up my ass. But.. that's just me. And he knows that. It was probably just a heat of the moment thing. Yea, I should head back.

I turned to walk back when I head an faint crack. There was a pause and then a splash. Pokemon of all kinds cried out. Something happened. I have to help them!

I slid down the snowy hill. Mind you, I'm only wearing leggings and a t shirt. It is freezing out here. I ran, more like slipped, my way over the ice, until I reached the crowd of Pokemon. They cleared a path for me. In the middle, there was a medium sized hole in the ice. The water was near pitch black, and the fact that it is getting darker and snowing doesn't help at all. But I have to save the Pokemon.

Without a second thought, I dove into the water, nearly screaming as the piercing cold water attacked my body. It was suffocating. Luckily, a Chinchou bumped into me. I opened my eyes and pointed up at the hole then pointed down. Chinchou seemed to understand, as it lead me down to the bottom of the lake. A Riolu lay lifeless at the bottom.

I have to help him! I swam as fast as I could, grabbing him under his arms and swimming to the top. Both our heads poked out the top. My vision was incredibly blurry and it was getting hard to concentrate. I thought I could hear my name being called, but.. I feel like I'm just hallucinating. The Pokemon were still gathered around the hole. A Bulbasaur used its vines to pull out Riolu. Bulbasaur lay him across the ice, as snow continued to heavily fall to the ground. Why now, of all times, does it have to practically blizzard!? The sky was near black, making the situation even more difficult.

All feeling in my legs had disappeared as I tread in the water. It was getting even more difficult to keep myself afloat. My legs are so tired, I just want to stop. Bulbasaur wrapped its vines around my waist, pulling me up and out of the water. Without giving myself a second to relax, I crawled over to Riolu and pumped my hands down on his chest. After a few more tries, he coughed up some water. His bright yellow eyes opened suddenly. I sighed, feeling utterly relieved. I heard someone shout my name. I looked up towards the forest and saw Ben running towards me. A heavy weight lifted in my chest. Riolu jumped up in front of me, growling at Ben. "It's okay buddy, he is a friend." I said softly, petting him on the head. The Pokemon began to disperse, going whichever way back in the forest. With some hesitation, Riolu too, went back into the forest.

Ben stood there, looking at my small form. I was shaking beyond belief, losing feeling in most parts of my body. Snow covered his body. "Take your shirt off." He ordered. My mouth hung open. He cannot be serious. I was about to scream at him, but he stopped me. "I'm serious, Summer. Take your shirt off now. You have to get out of that wet clothing." He began to take off his jacket, exposing the plain white t-shirt her wore underneath.

I hesitantly pulled my shirt over my head, not taking my eyes off Ben. His cheeks turned pink and so did mine. I sat there on my knees, covering my chest insecurely. Why am I so nervous about this? It's just Ben. He smiled slightly, kneeling in front of me. He wrapped his jacket around my shoulders, keeping his eyes trained on mine. My teeth chattered loudly. His lips tugged up slightly. "B-Ben, I'm sorry." I whispered between teeth chatters.

He smiled, helping me to my feet. His arm wrapped around my waist. "Come on. Let's head back." I smiled slightly.

* * *

"This is totally unfair. The girls' dorm is soo much nicer than the guys'!" Ben complained, walking around the dorm, inspecting.

I growled. "Keep your voice down. You aren't even supposed to be in here. You'll get me into major trouble." I brushed my soaking wet hair. If I had been out there any longer, it would have froze. My teeth are still chattering. "Gods, I'm freezing." I whispered to myself, trying to blow-dry my hair. My hands are still numb, making it real hard to grip the dryer.

Ben walked over to me, taking the dryer from my hands. His hand skimmed mine. "Summer, you're freezing." He sighed. I nodded my head, teeth chattering. Ben walked to my bed in the corner, taking the comforter off and walking back to me. He wrapped it around my entire body, encasing me in its warmth. He looked at me and laughed. "You look like a caterpillar with blue lips."

"Ohh shush!" I laughed. Ben then proceeded to dry my hair. "Ben, how do you know how to use a dryer?" I asked suspiciously. It's quite odd for guys my age to know how to use one of them.

He smiled, turning off the dryer. "Well, when you grow up in an orphanage with mostly girls, you pick up a few techniques. If you want, I can paint your nails, too." I laughed. Who knew? "Just keep that to yourself. I gotta maintain my cool status."

"I don't know, Ben. Girls go crazy for guys who know how to dry hair AND paint nails." I joked. We walked back out into the lounge which was completely empty. I would have grabbed the remote to turn on the TV but my hands are still wrapped in the comforter. Ben took the remote turning on the baseball channel. I smiled, "My boys are playing."

Ben laughed. "Just watch, the Braves are going to kill the Nats. It happens every time. I'll bet you the Braves beat your boys." I scoffed.

"You're on!" I smirked. In his dreams. The Nats will rein supreme.

A few hours passed. It was bottom of the nineth. Nat's are down three runs, bases loaded, one out. Zimmerman strikes out on a terrible called pitch. Two outs. "Are you ready to lose?" Ben grinned. I smiled as Jayson Werth walked up to the plate.

"Five... four... three..." Ben looked at me confused. "Two... one." Jayson hit a bomb to center field, easily landing in the stands. I smirked at Ben. His mouth fell open in disbelief. A grand slam. 4-3 Nats. I win. "Too bad, Ben."

He shook his head. "No way. There is no way possible you could have known."

"Well Ben, if you knew anything about baseball or watched any games, you would have known that this game was a rerun. It's the middle of the winter. Do you really think they are playing baseball at this time?" I asked leaning into his face slightly.

He did the same. "You cheat." He whispered. I stared at his lips, a wanting coming over me. Everything is telling me to lean in and close the space between us. He smells of cinnamon. It's intoxicating but so comforting. I feel so comfortable, and this feels so right. Maybe I do feel something for him. Maybe I always have and my head has just been too far up my ass for me to realize it.

We leaned in closer, hardly any space left. I closed my eyes, and he did the same. Just as our lips were about to touch, the other -what?- four students who were still here, ran up the stairs, startling both of us. I gasped, quickly pulling my face to the side. His face was bright red. The other students ran into their dorms.

We sat there for a few seconds, not looking at each other. It was well into the night by now. He chuckled. "There is always something." He frowned. I wiggled my arms free from my cocoon. He laughed at my struggle. I reached my still cold hand to his face, gently placing it on his cheek. He smiled, cupping it with his hand, which was warm against my skin. I leaned up, kissing his other cheek lightly.

"You are, without a doubt, my absolute best friend." He blushed, causing me to giggle. "What would I do without you?" I sighed, letting my hand fall to my side.

He thought for a second. "Well for starters, you would probably still be out there, frozen." He joked. I punched him in the arm playfully. He checked his watch for the time. "This stupid watch sucks. It stops working on and off then I have to constantly change the time." He complained.

"You would have done the same thing. And just get a new one." I laughed, standing up and unraveling myself from the blanket. I'm still wearing Ben's jacket. And I don't intend taking it off. He lay down across the couch, patting the spot in front of him. "You're kidding." I stared. He shook his head smiling.

"I would but I'm saving my money for something real important." He stated simply.

Half angry and half not so angry, I lay down in front of him, wrapping the blanket around us. He yawned, slithering his hand around my waist. I growled, causing him to laugh. He is lucky I'm tired and in my feelings. "Do you know where Kate and Keith are?" I asked. I haven't seen them all day.

He yawned again. "They are going to Keith's house to celebrate." I nodded. Thanks for the invite guys. "Know where Sven and Wendy are?"

I thought for a second. "I think Wendy said they were going to her house." I yawned. I'm so exhausted. And this talk of homes and houses is kinda making me upset. Not having any family to celebrate the holidays with.. "What about Solana and Lunick?"

"Goin' to Lunick's house." Ben stated plainly. "Would have been nice to get invited somewhere." He murmured. I know how he feels.

I turned to face him, my hand resting on his chest. I wrapped one of my legs around his, getting comfortable. My eyes slowly shut as I yawned. "Well.. if I had a home to go to, you'd be the only one I would invite." I whispered. His grip on my waist tightened slightly, before he kissed my forehead gently.

"G'night, Summer."

* * *

A cold shiver ran down my body. My teeth chattered as I nudged closer to whatever was next to me, trying to steal its warmth. Whatever it was, it was damn warm. Too tired to open my eyes, I just pressed my body against it. Then a hand grabbed my ass.

I screamed, falling off the couch, fully awake. A loud laugh echoed through the empty lounge. I looked up to the couch. Ben lay there cracking up. "Keep your hands to yourself." I barked. He just laughed even harder. He makes me so angry sometimes! I got up and walked to the girls' dorm, slamming the door behind me. After fixing my hair, I got dressed. I wore black boots, and white leggings. My sweater was black and had 'Meow' written in white. To top it off, I wore a white beanie. Before I walked out, I grabbed my wallet.

Ben stood in the lounge already dressed. He wore sperrys with blue jeans and a blue sweatshirt. It was the sweatshirt I got him for his birthday. 'Ladies Man' was printed on the front. Totally Ben. He wolf whistled at me as I walked out of the room. I scoffed. "Where do you wanna go?" I asked.

"Well after breakfast, do you wanna go shopping somewhere? I still haven't exactly gotten you a present." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. I looked at him funny.

"Present? Why would I need a present?" I asked confused.

Ben looked at me funny. He walked over to me and knocked on my head with his knuckles. I slapped his hand away. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head yesterday? Today is Christmas Eve."

My mouth dropped open. "How did I forget!? I haven't gotten your present either!" I said frantically. I grabbed his hand. "Let's go! The mall in town is going to be packed!" I pulled him with me as I ran down the stairs.

Finally, we arrived at the stupid mall. It is packed in here. Ben grabbed my hand. I looked at him with an annoyed look. "What? I don't want to lose you." He said innocently. "And because you look so good today, I don't want some perv to try and hit on you. I'm the only perv who can do that." He winked. Heat rushed to my cheeks as I sighed and looked away.

We walked for a while, not finding anything in particular. "Hey, Sums, I'm going to go look over there for a while." He pointed in the other direction. "Meet back here say.. one o'clock for lunch?" He smiled. I nodded my head, turning to walk up the stairs.

What the hell am I supposed to get him. His birthday present was a terrible choice. For starters, it was not personal at all and had no meaning, and seconds, he is so cocky when he wears it. I walked for a little while longer, looking at the different stores. Something caught my eye in one of the display windows. I took a closer look. My lips tugged into a smile as I walked into the store to purchase the item.

"It's almost two o'clock. Where the hell is he?" I asked myself. I've been sitting in the food court for almost an hour waiting for the dingus. Typical of him to lose track of time and be late.

"Your date blow you off, Babe?" I looked up. Some guy sat across from me at my table. He wore a smug smirk, looking me up and down. "Whatta bout you and I ditch this place and go to my house." He grinned.

I scoffed quietly. "Hows about you get the f-"

"Hows about you leave my girl alone, before I pummel you?" Ben growled. He looked down at the guy. He looks.. pissed. The guy stood up, somewhat shorter than Ben.

"And who do you think you are?"

"Her boyfriend. Now get out of here before you regret laying your filthy eyes on her." Ben said dangerously low. The guy scoffed, walking past Ben back into the crowd of people spread throughout the court. "Guys can be such dicks sometimes." Ben sighed.

I looked at him angrily. "Tell me about it, asshole. I waited an hour for you! What, were you flirting with some girl in Victoria's Secret or something? Gods Ben." Why am I so angry? Am I jealous that he could have been flirting with some other girl that wasn't me? He is the one who didn't want guys hitting on me so I can be angry with him when he flirts with other girls. That is perfectly acceptable.

He looked at me confused. "What are you talking about? It's one o'clock. And no I wasn't flirting with some other girl. Why would I do that?" He asked annoyed.

"Ben, it's two ten now. I've been waiting for you for over an hour." I said, hurt evident in my voice.

Ben furrowed his eyebrows, looking at his watch then to the clock in the court. He groaned, placing his head on the table. "Sums, I'm so sorry. My watch must have stopped again. Look, it says it one o'clock." He showed me his watch which did in fact read the wrong time. I smiled sadly at him.

"You're hopeless." I chuckled.

He grinned cheekily. "I think my present will make up for it. But I'm starved. Let's eat!"

We were there for a long time. Just sitting and talking about everything. Sometimes even revisiting subjects. "It's getting pretty late. Wanna head back?" He asked. I nodded somewhat sadly, not wanting this perfect moment to end.

The air was ice cold, making me gasp. Ben looked down at me smiling slightly. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. My hand made its way to his waist while my other hand went to his chest. I smiled happily, feeling butterflies in my stomach.

* * *

**Ben's P.O.V.**

Finally. I finished wrapping Summer's present after three tries. I looked at the clock. Eleven thirty? Holy shit it's late. Almost Christmas. Maybe Summer is awake. I wanna make sure she is okay. After all.. it's almost the anniversary.

The lounge was empty, sparkling dimly with red and green Christmas lights. A Christmas tree sat in the middle of the room, a soft yellow star sitting at the top. I tiptoed over to the Girls' dorm, knocking softly. If she is up, she will hear. The door opened, but it wasn't Summer. "Hey Ben, what's up?" Lillian asked sweetly. She is one of the only people still here.

I rubbed the back of my head slightly. "Hey Lillian. I was just looking for Summer. Is she asleep?"

Lillian looked in the room and shook her head. "Nope. I think I saw her go outside an hour ago. I'm actually starting to get a little worried about it." She said. What? Summer's been outside in the freezing snow for an hour?! I should have checked on her a while ago!

"Thanks Lillian! Don't worry, I'll bring her back!" I called, running down the stairs. Why is she out there? She is going to freeze to death.

As soon as the door opened, a flash of ice cold wind nipped at my skin. My breath could bee seen as white mist. I walked for a while around campus, trying to spot her. Finally, over the wind I heard a quiet sob. My eyes directed to the sound, finally pin-pointing her.

She sat on the short cement fence that was wrapped around the entire perimeter of the school. I looked passed the snow, closer to her. He knees were up at her chest, her arms wrapped around them. It looked like she had buried her face in the gap between the two. I don't think there is an inch of her body that isn't covered in snow. I noticed her body shaking immensely as I approached her. Small cries were drowned out from the wind. "Summer?" I called softly, now standing in front of her. She jumped slightly, looking up at me.

Her lips were blue from the freezing cold. They contrasted against her pale skin but rosy cheeks. A few tears had streaked from her watery eyes. I feel terrible for her. This happens almost every year and it seems to be getting worse. "Ben.." she croaked, a few more tears falling. "It's happening again." Her eyes shut tightly, her fists gripping her hair. "I can hear them again. They won't shut up! I want to forget but they won't let me!" She cried.

I walked to her, sitting on the fence as well. Summer muttered things to herself, most of it consisting of the words 'please' and 'stop'. "Summer, look at me." She opened her eyes, looking straight into mine. "You should never forget. They are a part of you. They always will be." I said softly, pulling her close to my body.

My arms wrapped around her as she leaned into my chest. "I miss them so much. These flash backs are making me go crazy. It's my fault. It's all my fault."

"What are they this time?" I asked calmly. She shuddered, whimpering slightly.

"We are in the car again.. My dad is driving and my mom is in the passenger's seat. Mark sat next to me, texting his girlfriend. Christmas music is playing quietly. All of a sudden, I start coughing. I can't breathe and I can feel myself beginning to panic. My mom looks at me, worry written on her face. I can see her talking but I can't hear her. She looks at Mark, and he turns to me patting my back, trying to calm me down. My dad is trying to look at me but is also trying to focus on the road. I stop breathing. It's like I'm suffocating. My mom's eyes go wide, and it looks like she is screaming. Mark is holding my hand tightly. I see my dad turn and look at me. And then I see the headlights." A cold chill ran down my back as I imagined what had happened.

I held onto her tighter. "It wasn't your fault Summer. Don't you dare think that. We just have to accept that sometimes the things that happen to us aren't always fair. Sometimes we don't deserve the things that happen. You only deserve the best Summer. How many different people have you inspired to be a better person? You saved me, the day we met." She looked up at me, her eyes wide.

"Ben.. what are you saying?" Summer asked quietly. I shook my head. Not now. She brought her hand up, gently caressing my cheek. She whispered something, but I couldn't hear it over the wind. Instead, I just kissed her forehead, letting my lips linger.

The wind suddenly stopped. I looked up. The snow fell to the ground lightly. Everything was quiet. "Come on, Sums. Santa won't bring you any presents if you're up this late." I smiled. She laughed quietly, sliding off the fence. She wiped her face, trying to compose herself. I slid down, slipping my hand into hers. We smiled at each other, walking back towards the entrance of the building.

* * *

**Summer's P.O.V.**

Warmth encased my body. A hazy light was spread throughout the room. I heard the squeals of a few girls, but they were distant. I opened my eyes fully, taking in where I was. A warm arm was wrapped around my waist. A sheet was hung above my head. Ben snored softly behind me. Ohh.. yea. We built a blanket fort last night, to keep the demons away.

I sat upright, taking my hairband out from my bun, letting my hair fall to my shoulders. Ben stirred, opening his eyes groggily. I shouldn't have made him stay awake all night.. He looked up at me. "Mornin' Sleeping Beauty." He grinned cheekily. Heat rushed to my cheeks but I smiled. He jumped suddenly. "It's Christmas! Let's go! Go get dressed and meet me in the lounge. I'm taking you somewhere special so I can give you your present!" Ben stood up, forgetting about the fort. All the blankets collapsed on top of the both of us. He fell to the ground next to me. We both broke into laughter, trying to get the blankets off our heads. I got up and walked to the door. It's a good thing no guys stayed for Christmas, seeing as I am in the Guys' dorm. "Ohh! And don't forget to dress warmly." Ben called. I nodded and walked out, closing the door carefully behind me.

"Summer!" Lillian ran at me, hugging me tightly. "Merry Christmas! Are you alright? You had me worried last night! Where on earth did you go?"

I chuckled uneasily. "Ohh, haha, I just went for a walk is all."

She grinned at me. "Uh-huh. And you just so happened to wander into the Guys' dorm with Ben, right?" She laughed.

She saw! "How about we keep that between you and me?" I rubbed the back of my head. She smiled and nodded, running over to her other friends.

After a few minutes, I emerged from the Girls' dorm. Ben was sitting on the couch, watching some TV show when I walked over to him. "So where are we going?" I asked. He looked up and smiled.

"To your favorite place in the world."

It was a short walk to my secluded area in the woods. Snow lightly fell to the ground. Luckily the wind isn't blowing at all. I sat down on a rock overlooking the lake. Ben sat next to me, turning to face me. "Ben. Yesterday you said I saved you when we first met.. what did you mean?" I asked quietly, taking his hand in mine.

He chuckled softly. "Ohh, you caught that? It's nothing special." I gave him a stern look. He sighed. "Sums.. I wasn't a good kid. I was going from orphanage to orphanage, never having friends, and always getting into trouble. Being abandoned really took its toll on me and I knew I wanted to make something of myself. Which is why I'm training to be a ranger. But the first few weeks, before you came, I was real depressed. I felt like nothing I did was worth anything and I thought I'm just a burden to the poeple around me. Yeah I was friends with Keith, Kate and all of them but.. I couldn't relate to them." He looked down at our intertwind hands. "Sums, do you remeber the day I first saw you?" I thought for a second. He was standing across the front field of the school near the treeline. I saw him and my heart nearly stopped. I nodded my head, recalling the event quite well. "I was planning on doing something real stupid. Something that I would have regretted big time. But then I saw you across the field. I literally couldn't breath or take my eyes off you. I remember, your hair was up in a messy bun, you wore that light pink tanktop and black running shorts with mismatched socks and slides. You were the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It was like the only thing holding me down to Earth was you. Hell, I didn't even know your name. I said to myself I should wait and at least talk to you once. And then Ms. April sat you next to me in class. You were so nice and I didn't feel lonely anymore. I knew then that doing what I was about to do would have been the greatest mistake of my life. Sums, meeting you saved me."

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I listened to my best friend tell me that I could have lost him. I would never had known him and my life would be shit right now. Ben wiped away some of my tears, running his thumb over my cheek. "Ben, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine life without you. All this time, you have been the only one to keep me sane. You chase away my demons and I know you'll always protect me. I know we argue a lot.. but most of the time, I know I'm wrong but I can't stop myself. I'm sorry for hurting you all those times and I don't want to think I could ever lose you." I whispered, trying to stay strong.

Ben reached into his pocket, pulling out a beautifully wrapped box. He handed it to me, smiling widely. "Open it." He ordered. With some hesitation, I carefully opened the wrapping paper, not wanting to rip it. Ben chuckled to himself. Once the wrapping paper was removed, I slowly open the small white box. Inside, was a silver charm bracelet. I took in all of its details, the braided band, three birthstones, and a little heart with a picture in it. The three birthstones, Emerald, Aquamarine, and Ruby, were my brother's, Mother's and Father's. I looked at him with questioning eyes. "I saw on the calendar in your room, you had marked them down." I nodded slowly, looking down at the picture. It was of me and Ben. My favorite picture of the two of us. I remeber taking it. The two of us were interning with the rangers in town. They made us bring them lunch for some reason and we all had a picnic. Ben and I sat next to each other on a cliff, overlooking the town and woods. Someone said 'Say cheese' and we both turned around. I don't remeber why but I was laughing really hard and Ben kissed my cheek. It was the perfect moment and the camera got it. "I saw that you had hung it up in your room. So I copied it and asked the lady at the store to put it in the frame."

I have never noticed how much Ben pays attention and how he sees the little details. He took the bracelet from my hand, clipping it around my wrist. A perfect fit. I smiled at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "This is the best present anyone has ever given me. It's beautiful." I pulled away pulling out his present. I handed him the box. "It's no where near as good as yours but.." He opened the box, a smile spreading across his face. Inside the small box was a silver studded watch with a black band. Ben turned the watch over, looking at the back of it. It read, 'Ben, I'll always love you. -Summer.' The smile on his face turned into a frown. My heart thumped in my chest. "You were complaining about your broken watch.. so I thought, ya know. If you don't like it, it's completely understand-"

Ben crashed his lips to mine. I was shocked for a few seconds, not believing what was happening. Soon, I melted into the kiss, finally letting go of my tension. Our lips fit perfectly together. He pulled away, blush spreading across his cheeks. I hadn't noticed I was gripping his hands tightly. "Do you mean it?" He asked in a quiet voice, gazing at the lake. I brought my hand up to his cheek, making sure he was looking at me while I nodded my head. "Good.. because I love you, too. I know I have for a while now, I just couldn't tell you." He said hesitantly. I looked at him with a smile plastered on my face.

"Ben, Merry Christmas." I smiled. He laughed quietly, leaning towards me. I met him halfway, our lips meeting once again in a kiss that should have happened a long time ago.

Sometimes our past tries to dictate our future. There comes a time when we have to stand up, against all odds and fight for what we believe in or want. Things won't come easy and there may be some confusion in the mix. But don't ever give up. Keep that ember of hope burning in your heart, fueling your passion and drive. It's the hope that keeps us going. Hope helps us hold on even when everything seems lost. Our pasts are there to remind us of our hardships and struggles. But because of them, we are wiser. And I'm thankful for that. I wouldn't be here without Ben. He is my hope, my ember. And he always will be.

"Merry Christmas, Summer."

**Okay, hopfully everyone enjoyed this little Christmas story! I hope everyone has an amazing holiday and stays safe! (: -A**


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